Secret Santa
by MyFallenAngel
Summary: NejiTen, discontinued. Being Hyuuga Neji's Secret Santa, Tenten decides to give him something he doesn't have...
1. Twinkles

**Disclaimer: Not. Owning. Naruto. Eek!**

--

**Secret Santa**

_**Dedicated to NejiTen lovers. They sure are lovely, ne? **_

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For centuries Konoha had chosen not to celebrate Christmas day because of the small population there. Among the years, however, the population grew into a large number. Therefore, for this year and the next few years, The Fifth had arranged a special event in order to celebrate this holiday season and yet the very first Christmas day in Konoha: Secret Santa.

Secret Santa was a very unfamiliar item to the shinobis and kunoichis of Konoha. This tradition, strangely enough, came from Sunagakure. It was Gaara, the Kazekage, who had suggested this idea, however confusing it may seem. He was on a meeting with the Hokage to rearrange Konoha and Suna's alliances, and The Fifth had complained about this.

This Christmas tradition had been believed to bring some people of Suna together, regardless how random and troublesome it might be. People will be chosen randomly to be someone's Secret Santa - meaning they will have to give a Christmas gift to that someone in the next three days. And in the last celebration party, they will reveal the truth - who was somebody's Secret Santa?

It really was as simple as that.

The event was a must, Tsunade had stated, and there's no escaping it.

Tenten had seen how her contemporaries reacted about this. Shikamaru had groaned and muttered a "Troublesome" under his breath. Lee had felt very happy and did some tearful Hugs of Youth™ with Gai, involving scenery change from the Godaime's office to the beach behind them. Only God knows how they did this, as over the years Tenten and Neji had lost interest in their teammates' unusual stuffs. Speaking of Neji, Tenten had also seen his response as Tsunade-sama explained about the event, almost unwillingly.

His response amused her. His usually pale, cold pearly eyes had shone mysteriously and Tenten could almost believe that there was a twinkle of amusement in his eyes - whilst that his lips curved into a mocking smile which you really couldn't call a smile. It was more of a smirk.

Tenten thought that it was a good sign - probably the stoic Hyuuga Neji had chosen to give away more of his cold exterior, but who was she to talk? Even if they had spent more than seven years training together, side-by-side, strengthening each other, she was still just his teammate, and a best friend of his. That was probably the best title he could ever give her, anyway. He didn't look all that capable of loving someone, really, even if he was claimed as a genius by everybody.

So when she realized that on the paper she took from Tsunade-sama was written 'Hyuuga Neji' in big, bold capital letters, she freaked out. Yes, she really did. I mean, what the hell you could give to someone practically as Neji-ish as him? He had, like, basically everything! He had the most expensive things with their highest qualities. In fact, all of his things were ordered especially for him! What could he possibly doesn't have?

_Love?_

Bleh. How could she offer him that, too? She didn't have that option. At least, not yet.

Neji had seen Tenten freaking out, and he had kindly asked her if she needed help in finding a gift. She had refused his offer, mentally smacking herself for almost accepting it as she blushed. Hello, she was looking for a present for Neji, and having the very same Neji to help her was, she decided, plainly stupid.

It was not even sane.

--

**Chapter One: Twinkles**

--

It was quite a cold morning, but thankfully it wasn't snowing. The sun had just woken up from its peaceful slumber and was setting up against the cold, damp air, behind those dark clouds setting upon Konoha.

_Nara Shikamaru must love this kind of days_, Tenten thought as she wrapped herself tighter in the cream-colored jacket she was wearing as she stumbled inside her favorite weapon store.

She was out searching for a good gift for Neji after brainstorming for three hours at night already, but didn't really find anything interesting to give to him except weapons. She zipped her jacket up again, sighing profusely.

As Tenten stared around the weapon store quizzically, she couldn't help but complain about how it lacked variety of weapons, when there were over a hundred of them in actuality. This store was her last resort. She couldn't find anything for Neji!

Well, it didn't have to be a weapon, but look... if you give something useless to a cold prodigy; chances are that your efforts are futile. They simply didn't need it. But weapons? Any shinobi needed it, even Hyuuga Neji.

"I'm sorry, Miss. But we don't have anything you want here." The owner of the shop sighed tiredly, his hand twisting a blade with expertise. "If you really want something that has never existed, let me just advise you, okay? Forge it yourself."

Tenten's eyes widened as she heard the advice. Yep, she could forge - it basically was one of her skills, actually, but there was not enough time. If she was going to forge, she will have to find the ingredients and materials first: metals, pommels, and searching for one that will suit Hyuuga Neji was a very hard job. She needed precisely more than a month. And she still had to design the structures first - nope, she didn't have this option either.

"Whatever." She shrugged at last, eyeing the shopkeeper, "Thanks for nothing." With that, she stormed off away from the shop, clearly feeling more than a little troubled.

As Tenten stumbled upon the park and managed to squeeze in between two unknown couples on the bench, she realized something. What a lovey-dovey Christmas this is, she thought, eyes wandering around the park. There were couples everywhere, holding hands, and sharing sweet endearments with red but clearly happy faces.

She turned away. _Eek._ Konoha had suddenly turned into a village with lovesick people. She eyed the girls again and wondered in her mind about what will they give to their boyfriends. "I bet it isn't hard for them." She muttered under her breath, turning away again and sighing heavily.

"What's not hard?" A rich, baritone voice asked.

As a couple sniffed uneasily and walked away from the bench, the weapon mistress looked up. "Oh, Neji..." She smiled at him. He looked at her, raising his eyebrows as he sat beside her.

"What's not hard?" He repeated again, this time firmly.

"Nothing." Tenten replied sedately, pulling out a kunai and twiddling it with her fingers, somewhat nervously. Hyuuga Neji could be very intimidating, especially when his eyes were glued to your face for what seemed like forever.

"Hn." He grumbled, turning away as she let out a breath of relief. Neji looked straight back at her once more, "Have you found anything?" He asked carefully.

Tenten arched her eyebrows, puzzled. It was not often that he tried bringing up a conversation with her, and when he does usually it was all about their spar matches schedules. It was basically the only reason why he was interacting with her, actually.

"Huh?" She mumbled, not clearly getting what he meant.

"Have you found a gift?" Neji repeated slowly and clearly, his flat tone ringing towards her ears.

"A gift, huh?" She mustered, smiling in defeat. "I am not quite sure if I could give him one, really... He basically has everything that I don't have." She rolled her eyes and turned to Neji, "How about you?"

He nodded silently. "Well, do you have anything to do after this?" He asked after a moment of silence.

She looked at him quizzically, wanting to know what he was asking for. "Free time? Loads." She gave a bitter laugh, "Let's just go and spar, okay? Maybe it could get my mind off some things like this whole Secret Santa event." She stood up, stretched her arms freely in the air and grinned at him, pulling him up. "Come on!"

Without waiting for his response since she knew he didn't always give any response, she half-dragged him away from the park, heading towards their oh-so-familiar-and-youthful training grounds.

--

She landed on a steady but snow-covered branch carefully, her hand holding the cold branch to gain balance as her eyes concentrated on the figure standing all highly and almighty on the snowy ground, his arms crossed. She panted desperately, trying to catch her breath. It had been two hours since they started their spar match and she hadn't even laid a scratch on Neji, let alone wound him badly. She brushed her bangs away from her eyes, her mind working hard.

Then an idea tickled her mind as she took out two scrolls out from her waist pouch. She set down, putting the scrolls near her foot firmly, as her hands moved swiftly forming a set of hand seals. She closed her eyes to boost her concentration, her hand still busy.

With a yell of "Soushouryu!" she opened her eyes leaped out from the trees into the crisp air, the scrolls spiraling around her in a graceful manner. As the wind gushed around her, following the manner of the scrolls, her hands touched the scrolls chastely, summoning two kunais on both of her hands and flung them at her sparring partner.

He remained calm as he turned into a spinning, blurry vision of a circular chakra wall, and deflected most of her weapons, sending them back with tints of white snow to her as she extracted her chakra strings and pulled them back, flinging the blades to him once more.

"Don't you dare to underestimate me, Hyuuga Neji!" She yelled, her fingers moving in a blinding speed as her weapons flew around him. He kept real calm, turning into another chakra wall and deflecting her weapons again. Tenten breathed, leaping backwards and landing on another branch.

"I'm never underestimating you, Tenten." He replied, suddenly appearing behind her as he held a kunai close to her neck. "Give up." He ordered flatly, the blade of his kunai only three millimeters away from her neck. She smirked, pulling out a kunai secretively and using the kunai to flick away his kunai.

She turned at him, "Yeah, right, Neji." She rolled her eyes, leaping backwards to another branch away from him.

He smirked, twirling his kunai professionally as he measured her every movement. "Give up."

"Oh, right." Tenten said with full sarcasm, "I will be giving up, Neji, but that is in your dreams." She planted another two summoning scrolls beside her feet and looked at him with full determination. "What will you give me if I win?" She asked slowly, eyes twinkling.

He looked at her strangely. "What do you expect?" He asked back, "Ice-creams?" Hello, it's winter!

"Yep." Tenten agreed, making his eyes twinkled in slight amusement, "That would be nice. Oh, and make sure that the flavor is cookies and cream. I love it." She smiled at him and set down, her hands forming another set of hand seals hastily. She stood up swiftly and leaped to mid-air, her two scrolls dancing around her as Neji watched in mild amusement. This must be her newest jutsu - Twins Rising Dragons were also quite similar, but the sense of chakra was a whole lot different.

"Sogu: Shikyu Geki!" The weapon mistress cried, performing in a barrier that was encircled by thousands of spiky orbs. The weapons flew at our Hyuuga prodigy in almost an invisible manner as he chuckled lowly and yelled, "Hakkeshou Kaiten!" to defend himself.

_(Sogu: Shikyu Geki means Weapon: Circular Battle Attack)_

He opened his eyes, looking at the spinning figure of Tenten as her barrier faded away. She had almost mastered it to the max - that he couldn't deny, but he still could see some weaknesses in her last blow. As his head worked his analysis of her attack, he flicked out a kunai and ran to her, leaping and catching her close by the waist. He smirked and again held the kunai, this time sticking on the back of her neck and drawing little drops of blood. "You lose." He said quietly.

She smirked as they both leaped down to their honorable places. "Then what would you like?" She asked, taking out band-aids out from her waist pouch. Oh, crap. She could feel the wound, but she really couldn't see it. She rubbed the back of her neck, slowly wincing.

Neji had seen her difficulty. He leaped to her branch and took the band-aids from her hand without saying anything, his eyes glued to her slender neck. "Come 'ere." He retorted, pulling her down to the snowy ground and to the sink prepared for their training grounds, in case someone gets hurt. He pulled out his white handkerchief and rinsed it under the freezing water, and turned back to Tenten.

As he wiped the blood of her neck, she winced. Neji eyed her scratch quietly, "I'm sorry for that." He said quickly, taking the band-aid and sticking it on the back of her neck.

"Nah, it's okay." Tenten replied indifferently, feeling slightly confused. "Getting wounds are a part of training, Neji. Since when you started feeling sorry for my each and every wound?" Her voice was slightly joking, but he was nonetheless concerned.

"Hn." He replied, feeling also a bit confused. Since when did he really started caring for her, anyway? This was plainly un-Neji-like. He sighed inaudibly and eyed those warm eyes of hers. Suddenly he smirked, "Still up for ice-creams, Tenten? It's winter." _And it's freezing._

"Of course!" She grinned. "Don't worry, Neji. I'll pay for it." She rolled her eyes, "I lost, remember? All you have to do is just wait and eat."

He shook his head as she pulled him to the nearest ice-cream cart. The keeper looked a little shocked to see a customer, but nonetheless he served them with a cone of cookies and cream flavored ice-cream and a vanilla one.

As they sat together on the bench, he was eating his vanilla ice-cream without protesting (even if he says he hates sweets), and she was licking her pint without arguing too.

Tenten glanced sideways at the Hyuuga Neji. He was so... cold. Winter matched him. His eyes never seemed to be burn in any kind of passion Lee's eyes had always shown, nor had they shone showing love like Sakura's or Ino's had. His thin lips were one of his most great features, but why did he stayed single most of the time when love blossomed everywhere?

Suddenly Tenten realized something.

Apparently, there was something this close-to-perfect Hyuuga prodigy didn't have.

She grinned and licked her ice-cream more. This idea was perfect. All she needed was one or two hours to search, a little flirting, and Hyuuga Neji will be a complete man.

"Tenten, what's with that look?" He asked, interrupting her running thoughts.

"Neji, I have found the perfect gift!" She said cheerfully to him, her eyes twinkling happily as she licked more of her ice-cream energetically.

He titled his head and arched his eyebrows, uninterested. "Oh." He replied calmly.

She grinned again. He will just have to wait...

--

**End Notes**

It's nowhere near Christmas, but I have recently watched Christmas videos, so this is what I came up with. It might be a little confusing at the start, but I promise you there will be explanations! Anyway, this ficcie is mainly **NejiTen**, with very slight hints of other usual pairings. What do you expect, anyway? (grin) I'm a die hard fan of NejiTen!

Reviews are most appreciated! Thanks!

**Next Chapter**: **Chapter Two - Breezes**


	2. Breezes

**Disclaimer: It's my dream to own Naruto, but… yeah, I don't. Some dreams just don't come true, now do they?**

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**Chapter Two – Breezes**

--

It was quite a snowy night, and the girls were planning to have a sleepover in Tenten's house since she lived alone, just to exchange stories, gossips, and such they has missed in the business of the week.

"Hey, Sakura, what do you think about Neji?" Tenten asked as she rolled on her back, clutching a huge panda doll tightly on her chest as she gazed into the pink-haired kunoichi's emerald eyes.

Haruno Sakura eyed her suspiciously. "Neji?" She repeated, "Your teammate?" She shook her head, "Why do you ask?"

"Well..." Tenten grinned mysteriously, "I am just wondering about what you think... You know, there's a lot of gossips about him out there, saying he's a cold, heartless bastard or something like that. Ne, Sakura, do you really think of him that way?"

"I don't know." The kunoichi shrugged, "I haven't really talked to him or something. The only relations we have before were just when we are doing missions together..." She paused, "Well, he's pretty much a nice person you could cooperate with. He's a genius... somewhat a good strategist, too."

"Only that?" Tenten looked disappointed. She really didn't expect much from Sakura, since she knew Sakura hasn't completely gone over her obsession of Uchiha Sasuke, but if she could give her the slightest hint that he may be good to go out with... "Do you think he's boyfriend material?"

"_What!_" Sakura gasped, "Boyfriend material? Honestly, Tenten... No." She shrugged again as there was a familiar twinkle in her eyes, "But sure, he may be boyfriend material if it is for you."

Now it was the weapon mistress who gasped. "For me?" She repeated as she furrowed her eyebrows, "How on earth do you get that kind of thought, hey, Sakura?"

"Well, basically, you are the only female he ever talks with..." The medic nin rolled her eyes, caressing the doll on Tenten's side gently and cuddling it.

As the bun-haired kunoichi opened her mouth to protest, she has already cut in, "... Okay, he does talk with Hinata, the Hokage, and sometimes Ino and I, but... you know that he never talks about other things beside missions with us, right?"

She grinned mischievously, "Obviously, Tenten, you're probably the only love interest he could ever get. This panda is from him, am I correct?"

"Well, yes..." Tenten blushed, her hands quickly cupping her cheeks to cover the red shades.

"Of course not." She grumbled, trying to cool down her cheeks by patting them lightly. "If he tries to be more sociable, girls would get him. You know he has a fan club of his own, and that they're trying desperately to impress him, right?"

"I know, I know." Sakura laughed heartily, "Sasuke-kun's fan club is also trying to do the same thing. I often saw the leader browsing through shops, you know, trying to get him a present but failing pathetically since he has like, basically, everything! It's a relief that I am not Sasuke-kun's Secret Santa..."

_That is actually my problem, too_, Tenten thought as she cuddled her huge panda again.

It was a birthday gift from Neji - her nineteenth, meaning this year. Well, she has pretty much given him a panda, too, for his birthday, which she first thought was a stupid idea but it turned out quite nice in the end.

Yeah, at that time, giving a panda to a Hyuuga Neji seemed quite appealing, but this time...

"So..."

"Yeah..." Sakura grinned, "He's not any boyfriend material for me - but maybe for you he is. He does show affections to you, now doesn't he?"

"No, he doesn't." Tenten replied, rolling her eyes. As she noticed Sakura's sudden disappointment, she added sarcastically. "Or maybe he does - but that is, if you call defeating me each and every day and mocking me in our spar matches as showing affections!"

She grinned and patted her panda softly and cuddling it with her arms. She eyed Sakura warily, "Don't tell me that you really call them showing affections, Sakura, that's crazy!"

"Well, if we're talking about..." The pink-haired kunoichi stopped, looking thoughtful again, "If we're talking about Naruto, I guess, my 'theory' would be crazy... But this is Neji we're talking about, Tenten, so it _MIGHT_ be true."

She rolled her eyes, "But anyway, why are we talking about Neji, ne? Are you suddenly infatuated with him or something?"

Tenten shook her head calmly. "I'm just asking."

"Really?" Sakura grinned mischievously, her eyes shining as she eyed Tenten with a suspicious look on her face. "Promise me that you'll tell me when you're getting infatuated with him, okay?"

"Hmm...'Kay." _As if it'll ever happen,_ she thought calmly as she pondered in her head again - so Neji was not a boyfriend material for Sakura, but that was probably because she was mostly infatuated with that Uchiha Sasuke guy.

If she was not, maybe Neji would be just fine for the pink-haired kunoichi - they could blend in some way, really... Okay, so why was this Secret Santa thing bothering her so much? She almost...

"Tenten, Tenten!" Sakura shook the weapon mistress' body roughly. "Hey, are you alright? You seem out of it tonight - anyway, there's the bell... I'm gonna go and get it." She stood up, leaving Tenten a bit dumbfounded, and led herself to the door to reveal the one and only Yamanaka Ino behind it.

"Yo, forehead-girl!" Ino greeted cheerfully as she passed through Sakura and into the living room. She plunged herself beside Tenten on the couch and waved her hand in front of the weapon kunoichi's face. "Hello, Tenten, you look deadpanned. What are you thinking about?"

"Neji." Came her automatic and unexpected reply.

"Neji?" Ino turned towards her, her blue eyes twinkling. "Aww, could it be that our little and cute Tenten has fallen in love?" She cooed with a sickening sweet voice as she tapped the panda slightly, "Oohh, look at this! She's cuddling the panda from Mr. Neji!"

"Ino-" Tenten stopped her cooing with a disgusted look on her face, "First, I am not in love. Not with a boy, not with a man, and not with Neji. Secondly, even if I am cuddling this panda, it doesn't mean that I love him! You are just like Neji, so obstinate and like to jump on conclusions your own!"

Ino laughed loudly. "Okay, okay." She said heartily, "Don't go all snappy to me, Tenten! I was just pondering... You know, it's possible that he actually loves you - you're the only female that he ever interacts with!"

"You're right, Ino." Sakura butted in, plunging into the couch beside Tenten, a cheeky smile on her face, "I am also thinking about the very same thing, actually! See what we mean, Tenten?"

The weapon mistress shook her head, "Even if I am really the only female he ever interacts with, or shows affections to, or even loves - listen, we do not suit each other." She smirked, "Anyway, what do you think about him, Ino? Interested?"

"Well..." The blonde rolled her eyes, "He's hot."

_Finally!_ Tenten yelled mentally. She grinned at Ino, "Hotter than Nara Shikamaru?" She asked mockingly, wanting to put on a revenge on the girl. When Ino blinked blankly at her, she grinned again, "Are you sure, Ino?"

"Hell-o? I don't have any feelings for that lazy ass." Ino said, rolling her eyes in full sarcasm. "Yes, hotter than Shikamaru."

Tenten blinked nicely at her, making Ino tensed up suspiciously. Before she could ask anything, the weapon kunoichi has already continued, "Do you want me to set you up with him?" She asked enthusiastically, her eyes lightening up and her madness all from before all gone.

"_Set me up_?" Ino's eyes widened. "No, of course not. Are you crazy or something like that?"

Her brown eyes darkened again as she slumped herself more into the couch.

"Hey, are you planning something, Tenten?" Sakura asked, clearly suspicious. "You don't usually talk about Neji... At least, not in this way, and if you really talk about him, you won't ask us how's him. You know him much better than we do, anyway." She rolled her eyes. "Are you trying to set _him_ up?"

Tenten sighed and decided to give in. "Well, yes." She said deliberately, "If there is one thing my so-called perfect teammate doesn't have, then it is a girlfriend."

"I see..." Ino chuckled lightly, "You are his Secret Santa, now am I right?"

"Hn... yes." She gave in reluctantly.

"And you're going to give him a girlfriend?" Ino continued, still chuckling. When Tenten nodded, she smiled, "This seems fun. I'm gonna help you... Listen, there's this friend of mine - a member of Neji's fan club..."

"Don't even think about it." Tenten has cut in, "Neji hates fan girls."

"I know, but my friend is not like any other fan girls!" The blonde kunoichi said excitedly, "Yuka simply likes him. Any chances for her that you could set her up, probably? She will be very happy!"

"Hmm..." Tenten mumbled out loud. This was probably her last resort, too - Yuka or whoever she was. "Okay. Could you call her... you know? Please tell her to go to my training ground - it's **A318**, South of Konoha - tomorrow morning."

"Yuka will be very happy." Ino replied, "And don't worry, Tenten, she's not a bitch like any other fan girls."

"Hopefully." The weapon mistress muttered under her breath, just as she heard her doorbell rang. "That must be Hinata, girls, I'll go get her." She said, walking to the door. She opened it, and led the Hyuuga heiress in. She followed her to the couch, "You're late, Hinata. What caught you?"

"My father... and Neji-niisan." Hinata said softly, "Oh, and Tenten... Neji-niisan asks me to tell you that he wants you in the training grounds earlier one hour tomorrow morning... I think he wants you to give a full analysis of his new jutsu..." She eyed the weapon mistress again, "So...?"

"That Neji!" Tenten fumed furiously, "I have better things to do, actually..." She paused, and pasted a sarcastic look on her face, "But since _THE HYUUGA NEJI_ needs me, I'll be there."

"G-good." stuttered the Hyuuga girl - she was intimidated by Tenten's sudden furiousness. She smiled softly, "But, Tenten... that means that my cousin really believes you. He doesn't even want... father to do it for him, whatever Neji-niisan is planning..."

"Oh." The bun-haired kunoichi rolled her eyes, "Of course." She smiled gently, "Thanks for telling me that, Hinata."

"Yes." Hinata nodded and turned towards both Ino and Sakura, who were clearly talking about her cousin and Tenten's possibly romantic relationship. Tenten slumped between them, her eyes bored. "I told you before, Sakura, Ino! We are just... best friends."

"For the time being." Ino mocked jokingly, but received a glare from Tenten - she has learnt this glare from the one and only Hyuuga Neji, of course.

The glare was his trademark, actually. It was the kind of glare that could intimidate people just in a second - you could lower your eyebrows, snicker a little, and don't forget to sharpen your sight - and there you go.

"Yes. For the time being." Tenten repeated, only to satisfy the kunoichis. They have been bothering her about Neji all the way, when in actuality she didn't really feel anything for him - well, for the time being.

Who knows what will happen? Now she simply needed someone to keep away the gossips.

That Yuka girl would do.

She shivered at the thought and slowly zipped up her jacket once more. Damn it, tonight was colder than ever.

--

Tenten hurried inside her training grounds, her eyes warily staring around. She was late for about two hours, damn it! How come her alarm clock would chose today not to work? And when she walked outside, snow was definitely covering the grounds, slowing her down…

_Damn alarm, damn snow, and damn Neji! _

Today was not her lucky day, obviously.

Yes, Hyuuga Neji was already there, definitely on time, and he was talking to a girl, his face slightly relaxed. Tenten stopped right before Neji noticed her presence, eyeing the pair warily.

The girl was obviously a kunoichi - the way she held her kunai showed it all. She has her hair tied into a low ponytail, and Tenten could almost believe that its color was brown, if not miraculously dark, reddish brown. The only question was... was this girl that Yuka Ino has been talking about, or someone else?

She ran between them, mustering an apologetic face.

"You're late." Neji quickly pointed out. He eyed Tenten darkly; making the girl wince, but she controlled herself anyway.

"Sorry for being late." She rolled her eyes and turned towards the new girl. "Now, now, who is this, Hyuuga Neji? Don't tell me you get a girlfriend and have never spoken a word to me or Lee about it?"

"She can identify herself if needed." He said flatly, crossing his arms over his chest arrogantly.

The girl blushed slightly and turned to Tenten. "My name is Hotaru Yuka." She said sweetly, "Nice to meet you, Tenten."

_Oh, shit. _

"She hasn't said her name yet." Neji fumed at the girl suspiciously. "How do you know?"

"Err... Err..." Yuka tilted her head, "I heard it somewhere... Well, your team consists of two guys and one girl, so this must be... Tenten, right." She finished awkwardly.

"Hn." The Hyuuga prodigy arched his eyebrows. _How did she know? She must be a stalker… _ "Let's spar, Tenten. You're already late. We'll train for two hours more – and finish at twelve. No obligations."

"Yes, yes, of course." Tenten said uneasily, pitying for the so-called Hyuuga Neji fan girl. She eyed Yuka then, "But… Yuka would probably want to spar with you too, Neji... You have a guest here; it's not good to leave her."

He looked at Yuka, sending her his most famous Hyuuga Glare of Death™. "Let us meet next time, Yuka-san." He said flatly, "Please go now." Even if his words were short and direct, but actually there was a lot more to it - this Tenten understand.

His position - his arms across his chest, meant that he wasn't to be bothered. His arched eyebrows meant that he really was confused, but was too embarrassed and proud of himself to show it. His glare meant that he hated whatever it was that they were talking about, and last, his thin lips were turned into a mocking smirk.

"Oh... Oh, okay!" Yuka quickly scurried away from their training grounds, clearly afraid of Neji.

"Look at that, Neji!" Tenten said, holding back a yell of frustration. She has gone through a lot of trouble finding that Yuka girl - well, not actually, but anyway... - and he sent her away just like that! Hyuuga Neji was clearly not appreciative! "You just send her away! That poor girl..."

"She's a distraction to our training, Tenten." He said coldly, "We don't need her."

"Yes, but..."

"No buts." The Hyuuga prodigy has cut her out, "You're late."

She rolled her eyes. He really didn't have to be that harsh, but he was the Hyuuga Neji, after all. He simply didn't care of what others thought of him. "Okay, okay." She said, giving in at last. Hands down, he was always the master of things like this. Everyone would just have to give up on him. "Come on, let's get started."

"Hn." He said, leaping backwards three steps as his stance changed.

Tenten did the same thing and sighed heavily. Neji was definitely going to be harsh on her today - a punishment for her being late, she assumed. But still...

"Neji!" She called before the Hyuuga boy has send any attack to her, "If I win today, would you buy me another ice-cream?"

He tilted his head as his stance relaxed again, looking slightly confused. He knew she liked - no, loved - ice-creams, but wasn't this snowy weather too cold for an ice-cream?

"Cookies and cream!" She called again.

Hyuuga Neji couldn't help giving a small smile. She was cute that way.

"Sure." He replied.

--

**End Notes**

This kinda sucks, yes? I don't know why I wrote that long just for a teaser chapter (for some events to work smoothly in the next), but writing this is fun. There is very slight romance, and believe me, I'll put more next time!

So, reviews please, and thanks!

**Next Chapter: Chapter Three – Sparks **


	3. Sparks

**Disclaimer: Yes, as usual, apply standards. **

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**Chapter Three – Sparks**

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Tenten panted, trying desperately to catch her breath as her two spiraling scrolls fell softly into the cold, snowy ground, surrounding her beautifully as she whipped out another scroll, wanting to summon another set of shuriken.

Yes, she definitely wanted to go against him in with all she got today - he could NOT always win, right? People have their ups and downs, so he must have his ups and downs, too. That is, if he really _is_ human…

Damn weird thoughts.

She stood up from the snow and sprung to mid air, landing on a snowy branch. Scouting the area around her, she held the scroll up to her eye level, her eyes slowly shutting as she enhanced her concentration. She threw the scroll to the air, her hands flashing in a set of hand seals required.

"Kagura Shuriken (Ancient Shuriken Dance)!!" The weapon mistress yelled, leaping into the thin, crisp air as her single scroll spiraled around her. She snapped the folding and unfolding scroll hurriedly, summoning the shurikens as the weapons flew about her to one direction - the direction where her sparring partner was standing, arms crossed and sedate.

Hyuuga Neji arched his eyebrows silently, activating his Byakugan and was aware that more than a thousand shurikens were flying to his direction. "Hakkeshou Kaiten!" He shouted, activating his absolute defense as he spun himself, turning into a big, circular chakra arc, deflecting the shurikens. When her final blow of shurikens stopped, he slowed down.

Tenten let out a faint breath, her hand holding her scroll as she landed on a branch. He really has mastered how to deflect her Ancient Shuriken Dance jutsu perfectly, even when she herself hasn't been on her best condition to perform the beautiful mid-air dance.

He was a genius indeed - no need to doubt about it, apparently.

"... Come on, Tenten." Neji taunted, a mocking smirk appearing on his thin lips. She closed her eyes silently, calming herself and trying her best not to be affected by his strong taunting. He was a very good verbal abuser, indeed. Even by curling his lips in such an endearing pre-smile, he could already make her fuming up.

She put the scrolls inside her waist pouch, her head scanning through a range of strategies and plans as the urge to kill him died down. She calmed herself, closing her eyes as she extracted two scrolls. She released a small amount of chakra on her feet, slowly stepping aside on the tree and kept her balance perfectly - she was called a kunoichi for something!

She planted the scrolls on the branch, slowly scanning the snowy grounds as in to check where Neji was standing, and took out a kunai with an exploding tag on it.

"Sogu: Shikyu Geki (Weapon: Circular Battle Attack)!!" Tenten yelled, springing into mid air as her two scrolls flew surrounding her, enhancing in a barrier of spiky orbs as the weapons were flung to the Hyuuga prodigy in an almost impossible speed.

Neji stared at the orbs silently, managing to stay calm as he activated his Byakugan once more and performed the great defense of the Hyuugas. "Hakkeshou Kaiten!" He cried, defending himself. What he did not expect was the last of her blow - a kunai with an exploding tag, were thrown at him swiftly, right after his absolute defense faded. He leaped backwards, calculating the size of the exploding tag - it wasn't that big, it will mostly cause a mere little explosion, but explosions were explosions. They could kill.

Tenten performed the hand seals quickly, activating the exploding tag as she chuckled lowly. **KABOOM!!** It sounded, but no one was hurt. The highest level of explosion didn't even lay a scratch on him.

Neji was always accurate on his analysis - no wonder he could deflect her weapons that easily. If he was going to always be that accurate, it will be best for her to come up with a new strategy that involved sneaky surprises he wouldn't expect, then.

He was all too used of her fighting strategy, just how she was very used to _his _fighting strategy, too.

She leaped down to the snowy ground with a puffing sound as he turned at her, his arms crossed over his chest arrogantly as he smirked smugly, wiping imaginary dust off his usual Hyuuga clothes.

Neji arched his eyebrows as she dashed straightforward, whipping out her kunais professionally and attaching them to her chakra strings skillfully. He stepped back, flicking out a kunai as well.

Their spar soon became a close combat. Metals clanging was heard, kunais were deflected, and scratches started to appear on the weapon mistress' body. Knowing that she was at disadvantage, she leaped back, extracting another scroll from her waist pouch.

She held it to her eye level once more, as he watched carefully in his silent demeanor.

Tenten sprung to another tree, landing on the snow-covered branch carefully as she planted the scroll on the snow. She eyed him for once from far away, a sudden longing appearing in her heart. The feeling soon dispersed as she smacked herself mentally - what would he say if he knows? His respect for her will vanish in puffs of smokes. And damn it, oh God, she was here to find him a girlfriend, not to _be _his girlfriend!

She flung herself downwards, activating the chakra on her feet as she eyed him once more. She needed to distract him, which would do her good.

Neji stared at the upside-down lithe form of his sole female teammate. What was she planning to do, just staring at him with a look his genius mind couldn't seem to understand? He flicked out a kunai and played with it warily, his senses tensing up to deflect any sudden blows she could and probably would give him seconds later. He stared at her once more, his pale orbs silently examining her actions.

She hid a mischievous smile as she deactivated the chakra on her feet, suddenly feeling herself falling down from the branch. She closed her eyes warily, her hands readying a kunai with another exploding tag of the lowest level of explosion. She was falling, but she wasn't afraid.

Something made her sure.

Or someone, preferably.

As she fell, Neji's eyes widened by about a fraction. Giving in to his instincts, he jumped out of his familiar graceful Hyuuga taijutsu stance and ran to help her. What he didn't expect was that as he arrived below her lithe form, she sprung out a scroll and sent the scroll to the tree, tying herself to the tree with it carefully but perfectly as she sent the kunai she prepared at him.

Again, his pale, smoky orbs widened.

KABOOM! It sounded again, and as the small explosion occurred, Tenten sprung freely, landing onto the ground five meters away from the explosion gracefully. She put her hands on her hip, her eyes twinkling in amusement as she saw the Hyuuga Neji's body was thrown to a tree by the little explosion.

Chuckling slightly, the weapon mistress walked to the dazed Hyuuga prodigy. She leaned down and smirked mischievously at him, flicking out a kunai and sticking in to his neck.

"You promised to buy me another pint of ice cream, Hyuuga Neji, if I win today, and I do." She threatened seriously, putting their eyes at the same level as she stared into his orbs deeply.

He tilted his head, his right hand deflecting the kunai she was holding easily as he stood up, his left hand pulling her with him.

"You've improved." Neji said slowly, as if he didn't believe the truest reality in his life - which the weapon mistress has won against the Hyuuga prodigy, for the first time in their lives. He brushed off the snows that covered his shirt and looked at her, a slight smirk playing on his mocking, thin lips.

She rolled her eyes. "What's with that look?" She said sarcastically, "You're distracted."

He nodded, agreeing. "I was." He said at last, still looking at her closely.

The weapon mistress arched her eyebrows with a rather pleased look on her face. "So my plan was working very neatly." She chuckled lowly, her eyes examining his expression thoroughly, as she analyzed her successful plan once more. "I was falling down, Neji, and you carelessly chose to help me rather than deflect whatever things I could throw at you when I was falling. Do you really think I am that off-balance, falling down like that?"

Neji eyed her meaningfully. "... No." He replied, shaking his head as he gazed into her eyes somewhat tenderly, "I don't want you to get hurt, and it will hurt if you fall from that height." His eyes followed the branch where she fell from just then, as he subconsciously measured the distance carefully.

"... Tee-hee." Tenten giggled at the statement, "To think that the famous Hyuuga genius shows concern to me!" She chuckled again, amusement playing in her eyes, "I must be dreaming, or if I'm not, today is my lucky day." She smiled fondly at him, "So... since I win, are you ready to buy me a pint of cookies and cream ice cream?" There was playfulness in the tone of her voice.

The Hyuuga prodigy looked at her silently. "Let's... go to the park now, then."

"There's still four hours before nine PM, Neji, are you sure you want to stop now?" Tenten asked, surprised. She has known him for years - bringing her a conclusion that his sole hobby, apart from meditating, was training.

Being already a strong genius, he still wanted to strengthen himself. A great trait she admired from him, of course, aside from his talents, his brain, his handsome face, his cold but cool attitu... Wait! What was she thinking?! She smacked her forehead mentally and stared at him as the Hyuuga nodded surely.

She shrugged, "Okay, then. Let's go now."

"... Tomorrow we'll train for an extra two hours." Neji said deliberately, his eyebrows furrowed as at usual times when he was considering something. "And the day after that, and the next, too, to fulfill today's loss."

Oh yeah, she was late this morning. And she completely has forgotten about that Yuka girl, too. _Stupid. _She needed her badly – to comply with her so-called gift.

But that could wait, of course.

Tenten shrugged again - she was all too used of his considerations too. It was not only once he added extra hours to their daily training - it was not often, too, but she was used to him and his attitudes. She tilted her head a little and smiled, "Okay."

--

"Here." He handed her most desired ice cream. She received it gladly, muttering a small thanks as he settled down beside her, his arms automatically crossed over his chest as he sat there, looking very much alike a cold prodigy he really was.

Tenten stared at him, "You don't want any ice cream?" She asked, putting her ice cream on his eye level, wanting to taunt him. But she pulled back, remembering that Hyuuga Neji hated sweet things and that he most probably would hate ice creams too, since these desserts were considered as 'sweet things' to him.

Neji shook his head faithfully, not betraying any words.

"... Don't you like it?" She asked again, slowly licking her cookies and cream-flavored ice cream. She didn't really understand why she liked this flavor so much.

The first time she has tasted it, she was on a 'meeting' with Hyuuga Neji, too. They promised each other that they would meet in the park and later go to the weapon store to choose a weapon for their teammate whose birthday was getting close. It was a 'meeting', according to her, since Hyuuga Neji didn't go out on dates.

Even if it was him who asked her out, she didn't think that it was considered as a date - thinking positive, it was a sign that the usually cold-hearted genius was beginning to soften to Lee, wanting to give him a gift for his birthday. They bought him a thin but sharp katana for him, and stopped by the very same park to buy ice creams.

It was summer by that time, and Neji has agreed that she treated him ice creams just because it was hot. He has bought a vanilla one, just like yesterday's, since he claimed that it probably was not sweet.

He shook his head. "I... dislike sweet things." He said slowly, his eyes glued to her, "... Well, I thought you already know that."

"I know," Tenten nodded hastily. She knew quite a lot about him - that was undeniable.

She knew that when he was nervous, he would suddenly tense up and becomes so much colder to everyone to hide his nervousness. She knew that when he was embarrassed, he would hide it by feigning anger and getting mad at people for embarrassing him. She knew him all too well - she even knew that if he didn't get to sleep before twelve, he would stay up for the rest of the night because he just couldn't sleep after midnight.

He was, yes, that familiar to her.

She finished, "But not all ice creams are sweet."

Neji arched his eyebrows. "... Really?" He asked.

She nodded quickly. "Wait a moment." She ordered him pleasantly, jumping and running to the ice cream cart. She eyed the flavors there - there were the usual stuffs: chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, peppermint, mango, coffee, espresso...

She smiled at the keeper sweetly, "I want a cone of coffee-flavored, please." She said, pulling out a certain amount of money as he prepared her order.

Tenten came back happily, bringing a cone for him. She handed it to him, "Here." She said, "It's coffee - it shouldn't be too sweet for your taste buds, Neji." She rolled her eyes sarcastically, adding in her heart, _that is, if your taste buds are all working very well. _

She simply couldn't understand why one could dislike ice creams like Neji did. It was unbelievable that someone could hate the feeling of the cream on your tongue, slowly melting into your taste buds. It was a miracle that he could dislike the coolness ice creams gave to his throat, cooling him down...

"Thanks." He replied, zapping her back to reality. He eyed the ice cream warily, staring at it for what seemed like forever, as if it was something more dangerous than a kunai with an activated exploding tag on it as he held it away from his face.

Tenten, eating the last of her cone, stared at him in simple disbelief. "Eat it already!" She said hastily, reaching for his hand and smashing the ice cream onto his lips daringly. She laughed at the blank look on his face, "Really, Neji, from the way you are treating it, people will think that it's something poisonous!"

He glared at her.

She stifled a giggle, reaching for a tissue from her waist pouch. She held it up to his coffee ice cream-covered thin lips and wiped it off tenderly. "There." She said, rolling her eyes, "Now, eat, Hyuuga Neji, and tell me whether it's sweet or not."

"Taste it yourself." He said calmly, even though Tenten could swear that there was a line of playfulness in his rich, baritone voice.

She gazed into his pale, smoky orbs softly. "You're joking, aren't you?" She laughed jokingly, "I don't want to eat two ice creams! I like them very much, but two at a time would get me a cold, believe it or not. I'm capable of being sick too, you know, even when I don't get illness very often!"

"I never say that you should buy another one." He said slowly, making her eyes widened by about a fraction.

She laughed again, "Then what should I do? Take that one from you and eat it for myself?"

"I was going to say that you should try it tomorrow." Neji admitted, a twinkle playing in his usually stoic eyes, "But you got a better idea there, Tenten." He moved the coffee ice cream close to her lips, making her cold cheeks warming up a bit.

She looked at him, nervousness killing her inside. "... Err.. Neji?" She tried, "... On second thought, I don't really want to taste it... And damn it, it's melting already!" Tenten glared at him. "Are you going to eat it or not? Don't make me lose my money for nothing!"

"I never ask for this." Neji said, his voice deep, clearly taunting her. "Now this ice cream will melt if you don't eat it, Tenten..." He threatened, "I told you I don't like sweet things." Seeing her neutral face, he gave in and licked the ice cream steadily, earning a triumphant smile from the weapon mistress. "At least it's edible." He defended himself sedately.

She smirked knowingly, her eyes examining the ice cream as he licked it with his tongue. Seeing that he wasn't that hating towards the food, she almost believed that it wasn't that sweet either.

The Hyuuga prodigy stared at her as he finished his ice cream cone faithfully. She looked even cuter up close, he concluded as he clasped his hands together, cleaning the crumbs of the ice cream cone.

"It wasn't that bad, right?" Tenten asked, breaking the silence as she pulled out a tissue from her waist pouch. As he glared at her, saying 'whatever' in eye language, she shared a sheepish smile, knowing that the prodigy didn't really hate the ice cream as much as he said.

She gave him a tender smile, "I really should have tried that flavor some time tomorrow... You know, for variations..." She looked at the cart longingly, "But I do want it now..."

She shrugged and turned back at him, smiling again, as she held the tissue to his lips. Gosh, she has to stop looking at his lips like, right now or she would forever lose her dignity. She almost turned away, feeling her cheeks getting hot, but she was stopped by a grip on her wrist.

"... Tenten..?" He inquired, his voice puzzled.

Damn it, he was hotter up close. She closed her eyes and quickly opened them again, her lips curling into a nervous smile as her face mustered a questioning look.

"... I, um..." _Damn it._ "Well, clean your lips yourself, then..." She fidgeted, closing her eyes once more as she breathed heavily, trying to calm herself down.

He took the tissue from her hand and smirked, amusement reflecting in his clear silvery eyes. _She's readable_.

"So…" The weapon mistress turned to him once more after regaining her composure. At the glance of his eyes, she held her breath instinctively and smiled to cover up. _Goddamnit, _what is wrong with her? _He was her teammate, for heaven's sake!!_

"So?" The Hyuuga prodigy arched his eyebrows, his eyes still twinkling in amusement.

"Umm…" His teammate fidgeted again, "Nothing." She laughed nervously, "Yes, yes, nothing. So… yes. Let's get back training?" She requested, half-pleading.

"No." Neji replied, even so suddenly.

"No?" She arched her eyebrows, confused. "Why?"

"Let's go somewhere else." He said calmly, his eyes searching.

"Like, where?"

"My house."

_His house_.

"_Wh-_what?"

"Let's go." He said, and without anything anymore, he stood up and walked away, leaving her a little dumbstruck. However, since she wasn't one to be struck dumb for longer than two seconds, she quickly trailed behind him, glancing at his back most of the time.

No doubt about it.

Hyuuga Neji was acting strange_r_ than ever.

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**End Notes**

I know I took soooo terribly long for only a chapter like this to pop out of nowhere. Look, I'm sorry, but you know _school_ and how it bugs you so. And anyway, I'm getting into the Christmas spirit here, (smiles) so probably this will be my priority until Christmas. Maybe.

On that note...  
What was this chapter…? So cliché! I don't know what possessed me into writing these cliché, incurably romantic things, but… (laughs nervously) I don't know. Anyhow, I kind of like cliché situations (I don't really know why, too, but sometimes they are just _very romantic_).

Please review and give me any kind of comments, rants, or suggestions, okay? I'm very happy today! Yay! Thanks!

**Next Chapter:** **Chapter Four – Stars **


	4. Stars

**Disclaimer: I want Naruto for my Christmas present… **

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**Chapter Four: Stars**

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Tenten just couldn't believe her luck today.

First, she won a match with Neji for the first time in her life. Well, sure - she changed her tactics, but heck, in real combats, strategies are fatal.

Second, Neji treated her to ice cream. Again. And cookies and cream. Yum.

Third, she got to force the so-called GREAT Hyuuga Prodigy to eat ice cream and see him with unclean lips! That was really a Kodak moment - Neji was such a perfectionist that he ate cleaner than her, completely and perfectly using the cutlery as he was needed to, and he had the politest table manner than anyone Tenten had ever seen.

And fourth - yes, fourth -, she got to see his bedroom.

Now Tenten had been into a guy's bedroom before. Like, Shikamaru's (when she was helping Ino to persuade the lazy genius to go and help her with the flower store) or Sasuke's (when she helped Sakura to stalk him - just about four months ago) or even Shino's (when Hinata asked her to help her call the Aburame since the heiress herself wasn't allowed to go to a guy's house at that time), and so on.

_But this_, her thoughts recited, _is different._

Hinata often told her that Neji's bedroom was personal, so private that it was rumored as sacred even in the compound itself. Even the maids hadn't been in the room - and this, Tenten must admit, surprised her. No maids? Then how do they clean the room? Was it even possible that her so-called genius teammate cleans his own room?

Now, even for a girl with such wide imagination, she still couldn't picture Neji using a broom to sweep. Look, the Hyuuga looked elite - he was elite - and elites never use brooms their own! End of story!

"Heh." Suddenly, Neji entered the room, smirking as his hands brought a tray of cookies tin and two cups of tea. "You look strange."

Tenten wiped the thoughtful look on her face and smirked right back. "Gee," She said, with full sarcasm, "Thank you, Neji. You made my day."

"You're welcomed." The Hyuuga retorted just as coolly and innocently. He put the tray down on the coffee table she was sitting beside. "Here."

To his surprise, without cue, the weapon mistress burst out in a fit of soft giggles as she stared at him.

"Now what..." Neji said, his voice somewhere between irritation and confusion, "... exactly is so funny?"

Tenten, hearing that, stopped her laughter and glanced at him meaningfully. "You." She replied plainly.

"Me?"

"Mm-hmm." She hummed, softly tucking a strand of her loose brown hair behind her ear. "You."

She was being terribly unclear.

"Oh." Neji oh-ed, not really knowing how to respond.

Silence as they both sipped their tea.

"Are you ever going to ask why?" Tenten suddenly asked, glancing at him.

"Why?" He retorted back slowly, looking right into her brown eyes.

She sighed and shook her head disapprovingly, "Never mind." She replied just before her eyes caught the holly leaves hung on the wall. The maids never went in, so that left... Turning at him, Tenten pasted up a teasing smile. "Did you put that up?" She asked casually, nodding to the holly.

The Hyuuga glared at her. "Yes." he replied flatly, though Tenten could see the pink shades on his usually snow-colored cheeks. "Don't ask why."

"Tsk." She rolled her eyes at his dismissal. "I'm not going to." She replied, "It's just funny how you've got into Christmas spirit already, Neji. You'll spend your Christmas with Hinata and her family, yes?"

"Hmm." He replied, nodding, his silvery eyes clouded with question for a while ebfore it dispersed as quickly as it came. "Hinata-sama is thinking of hosting a party to celebrate the event. You will be invited too."

"Heh." She chuckled, "I see."

Silence. This time, an awkward one.

Tenten glanced at him nervously. She didn't understand why, really - it was only Neji, and after all, Neji was only her teammate. Yes, teammate. Like Lee.

_Like Lee?_ She asked herself, _no. Neji isn't really the same as Lee is._

There's something different - something she couldn't figure out what, something that was unfamiliarly comfortable, something that sent shivers to her toes every time they made contact...

Damn.

Tenten wasn't falling. She refused to. He's Hyuuga Neji, goddamnit! And don't fall for Hyuuga Neji unless you are ready for getting heartbroken, shattered into pieces, broken like a glass, humiliated both in public and private, frustrated like a mad cow...

"Tenten?" His voice came out soft and husky.

... and fatally in love.

"Y-yes?" Uncharacteristically, she stuttered.

"Nothing." He replied, his eyes drilling into hers. She looked so faraway, so dreamy that he didn't dare ask her his question. Slowly, yet unexplainably, Hyuuga Neji allowed himself to enjoy the silent atmosphere between them as he listened to the sound of the raging wind and the rustling leaves outside. From the voices of it, there seemed that a harsh, heavy snowstorm will occur.

Suddenly, as the two got lost in their own thoughts, there was a knock on the door. As Tenten glanced warily at the mahogany piece of sliding door, Neji stood up and opened it, only to be shoved with more than five comfortable, fluffy blankets into his arms.

"Wha-?"

"I am s_oooooo_ sorry, Neji-sama!" came a soft, squeaky, childish voice from behind another large pile of blankets. "Hiro-sama said that there will be a storm and that you must stay warm wherever you are..."

Tenten stood up as well and helped the owner of the voice got the other blankets down. She was a little surprised to see a little girl, around ten of age, staring back at her with the Hyuuga white eyes after the pile of blankets was removed to Neji's bed.

"Waaah!" The girl squeaked, "Neji-sama's girlfriend!"

"What?" Tenten's eyes widened and twitched for a while as Neji simply hummed.

"Now, Fuyuki." The Hyuuga prodigy said, looking down at the little Hyuuga girl as she blushed under his beautiful eyes.

"I... I'll go right now!" The ten years old blushed hotly, making it clear to Tenten that Fuyuki has somewhat a crush on Neji. After the little Hyuuga fled, the weapon mistress chuckled.

"Wow, Neji." She said teasingly, "You've even got fan girls inside your family."

He looked at her with a strange look on his face. "Wha-?"

"Fuyuki." Tenten interjected him in disbelief. Guys are SO unbelievably dense. She stared at him and when he stared back just as blankly, she sighed and waved her hand dismissively, "Never mind."

"Heh." He smirked. "If you mean Fuyuki, she's always like that. She blushes hard almost every time I saw her, and she squeaks instead of stuttering like what Hinata-sama used to do."

Guys are _REALLY_ dense.

"... Err..." Tenten sweat dropped at his statement. "Okay."

Then again, it was none of her business if Neji was or was not one of those dense guys. She wasn't one of his fan girls anyway. Yuka was.

Ah, yes. Speaking of Yuka, she meant business.

"So..." The weapon mistress coughed, trying to ease her nervousness, "May I ask you a question?"

Neji, being Neji, simply arched his eyebrows and sipped his tea ever so plainly.

Taking this as a signal of a green light, she took a deep breath before straightforwardly asked him, "What type of girl do you usually go for?"

Now if a weapon kunoichi suddenly ask you that, she somehow also expects you to burst out laughing or do something like that - but remember, this is Hyuuga Neji we're talking about, so he did neither. Instead, he tilted his head casually and glanced at his teammate.

And when he opened his mouth, Tenten stiffened, half-expecting him to just be Neji and dislike her for asking such a question that needs a personal answer like this.

However, he did neither.

"I don't go for girls." He replied flatly, making her eyes widened to the size of a plate.

"You don't." It was more of a question than of a statement, actually, but somehow she just got messed up with the intonation. She frowned a little after her head had adjusted to the sentence completely, "Then who do you go for? Guys?"

Neji stared at her like she just said something very strange - well, she did. "I don't go for anyone." He said, and then looked at her silently, "Why do you ask?" Seeing as she didn't immediately reply, his eyes shone in mild amusement for a second, "Don't tell me that you've fallen for me already."

Feeling her cheeks heating up, Tenten glared at him. "Of course not!" She protested, "Fall for a cold, heartless, foolish, and handsome bastard like you? Ha! You wish!" She rolled her eyes sarcastically as he arched his eyebrows, clearly not offended or not insulted by her statement.

"Really?" He asked slowly, mulling over the words in his mind as he smirked, "Then tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"Tell me why you blush if I hold your hand like this." Neji said slowly, his eyes twinkling in amusement as he touched her hand and squeezed it ever-so-gently.

Tenten blushed and slapped his hand away. She glared at him. "Don't." She said sternly.

The Hyuuga couldn't stop himself chuckling a little. "Okay." He said, still somewhat amused.

She glared at him one last time and noticed the amusement. "Neji-" She breathed, her eyes still glaring prettily at him, "Look. If I blush, it means nothing, okay? Like, completely, utterly, whole-heartedly NOTHING."

"Sure." Neji replied.

_Is that a hint of sarcasm in his voice?_ She mused in disbelief. Was the Hyuuga Neji acting like this to her on purpose? _Was he hitting on her?? _

"Don't flatter yourself."

"Not going to."

"Really, don't."

"Okay."

"It means nothing."

"Sure."

To Tenten, his calmness (read: sarcasm) was greatly bugging. She glared at him again before proceeding to drink her tea casually to the very last. She listened to the voices outside and stood up, not wanting to really get into this kind of conversation. Especially not with Neji. "I'd better get going right now, Neji." She said lamely, "There'll be a storm, and I don't want to get stuck here now do I?"

He shrugged, "Goodnight." He said plainly before he stood up, taking up the tray with him. He slid the sliding door open and said, "Meet me at 4 o'clock tomorrow morning, the usual grounds, Tenten."

And he walked away. Just like that.

She stared at his back as he went right away from her, through the dark corridors of the Hyuuga estate. "Where are you going, Neji?" She called to his back. Does he even have manners?

He turned at her, "Why, the kitchen, of course." He said plainly – this time, for real.

Leaving her alone.

Tenten, being Tenten, simply walked the other way.

Left... _Damn him!!_

Right... _Who does he think he is?_

Straight... _Playing with her like this! _

Left... Saying goodbye to her like NOTHING happened at all – not that something has, of course.

Straight... He made her embarrassed and said nothing for it! Nothing at all!

Stopped. On top of it all, he left her in the Hyuuga mansion alone! She'll never find her way out like this!

And that was when the realization dawned on her.

She will _NEVER_ find her way out _WITHOUT_ him.

Uh-oh.

"Nejiii!" As in on cue, Tenten turned and ran after him.

Just as she voiced the Hyuuga's name, the wind raged again.

This time, the snow followed.

--

_Just around 30 seconds before..._

There were no stars today.

Neji gazed at the sky somewhat solemnly as he noticed the snow started to fall. It was definitely going to be a snowstorm, one with heavy snows falling here and there. He shrugged uncaringly – it won't affect his schedule whatsoever anyway. Usually, at nights, he'll just do some light exercises indoors and read some 'heavy' books, and then go to sle...

"Nejiii!"

He stopped right dead on his track.

Was that Tenten?

But that wasn't really possible. He showed her off – well, actually not, but she was not that bad at navigator, wasn't she?

He shook his head, merely to ease down the (sudden) worry inside him and began to walk back in the direction of his room, but then he stumbled upon her – or more likely, Tenten stumbled upon him. Surprised? No, of course not.

"Why are you still here?"

She sniffed at the impoliteness of his tone irritably. "I can't find my way out." She said coldly, "But if you are not going to help me, _heh_, I can do it myself."

"Tenten..." He sighed heavily. Just about as he was going to say something, Fuyuki appeared again, so suddenly that she looked like she appeared out of nowhere.

"Neji-sama!" She squeaked cutely, "Please get to your room! The snowstorm is starting! And we don't want you to get a cold or something!"

Tenten couldn't help but sniffed impolitely again at Fuyuki's remark. Obviously, that girl held a very strong emotion towards the Hyuuga prodigy.

"... And I'll get you more blankets for your girlfriend over there..." The Hyuuga girl said softly before disappearing again.

_Gee_, the weapon mistress thought, _so now I'm stuck here? Great._

Neji, as if he could read her thoughts, sighed once more. "Let's get going, then."

To her surprise, he took her hand in his and started walking. And Tenten, much to her dismay, couldn't help but blush sweetly as their fingertips brushed gently.

--

If before Neji's bedroom seemed so wide, now it seemed small. Too small for two people that were only normal, no-strings-attached teammates to spend the night together, even because there was a raging snowstorm outside or something like that.

Sure, they were only _teammates_, they often slept together in missions, but there was Lee. Always. Never without him - this was the first time, and Tenten wasn't sure if she wanted a first time or not. It was weird, imagining herself to sleep in the same room with Neji without Lee like this.

She just wasn't used to thinking that he was a... _male._

Okay, okay, she will admit it - she knew he was a guy. A normal, fatally handsome male, who was a prodigy - but also her teammate as well. Maybe that was why she never tried to go far in their teammate-relationship? Because he was really, really unreachable, so out of her league that she didn't dare?

She was nothing compared to him. She was just a weapon mistress with skills as one, her greatest talents and areas of expertise never away from weapons. She couldn't really defend herself or attack without her weapons - she knew a whole lot taijutsu skills (with a sensei like Gai and a teammate like Lee, who wouldn't?) and could do them decently, but she was more comfortable with her weapons. When holding a kunai - just a kunai - she would feel that she had everything under control. She just believed more in herself when she was holding a weapon.

Tenten hadn't practice weapons if it was not for the realization that she had no special talents whatsoever. She was a fast learner - she got everything under control in the academy: genjutsu, ninjutsu, taijutsu - she knew more than just the basics, and she could perform all of them perfectly. But she didn't excel in one specific area like Lee, Neji and Gai did: taijutsu, though their areas were different (Neji's was the internal organs, Lee and Gai's were the external areas).

Thus, she began finding an area she liked - which she would, could and should try to expertise in: weapons. She really liked it when she felt the cold metal kunai against the skin of her hand, she liked how Lee cheered at her when she used a weapon skillfully and defeated an enemy just in seconds, she liked how Gai complimented her weaponry skills, and most of all, she loved how even Neji got a little impressed when she summoned her whole arsenal out, though he could always deflect them with his kaiten.

While Neji... He was just as perfect as anyone could ever be. Girls everywhere. Rabid, stupid fan girls ogling on him. Obsessive, possessive ones. He got one of each type. And his skills - don't even get her started. He was a genius - even the Third Hokage said so. And there will be no reason not to, anyway. It was clear enough for her - just by one spar match with him, everything went crystal clear. She wasn't on the same level with him, either.

She could just win from him when he was distracted, like today.

Tenten sighed and curled her knees up onto her chest, looking across at Neji, who was sitting on the floor, reading a book she didn't bother to know what. She pulled a blanket again and curled herself into it before she went from his bed and sat next to him, taking another cup of boiling tea Fuyuki dropped just then.

"Neji..." She started.

The Hyuuga shifted his eyes from the book to her. "What is it?" He asked softly, looking at her straight in the eyes.

If it wasn't for years of getting used to the power of his eyes, to the amazing, drastic sudden change of emotions in his orbs, Tenten would have blushed, but this time she refused to. She put her elbows on the table and looked at him, "Aren't you cold?"

He tilted his head for a while, and surprisingly, a smile appeared on his thin lips. "I don't know that you care, Tenten." He said teasingly, though he kept his voice real low and husky - Tenten wasn't sure if this was intended or not.

"Well, what if I do?" She shot back, not wanting to lose this new war. She glanced at him and tried to put on a seductive pout - damn it, she should've asked Sakura how was this done. "What if I do care about you?"

Neji sipped his tea again, amazingly keeping calm. He pressed his lips together into another thin smile. "I'm honored." He said, and paused a while before he continued thoughtfully, "All this time, I thought you cared only for Lee."

_It was meant to be a joke!_ Tenten wanted to scream, but she noticed the serious look in his eyes that she didn't do that. Instead, she glanced at him in concern. "You do?"

"Yeah." He admitted. "Is it that weird?"

"No - _Yes_, actually." She nodded, "Like, I don't know - you think about those things? I've always thought that you never cared about this kind of things. I mean, you're always busy. With training, with your fan girls, with the whole main house thing... You thinking of this doesn't really register in my mind, you know."

Neji smirked. "Ah." Another pause. "But I do care."

Tenten, as if she had recited it over than a thousand times already, smiled prettily. "That's great to know." She told him, pouring him another cup of tea. The Hyuuga had great tea - she'd like to learn on the ingredients some time later.

"Why?" He didn't look surprised.

"Because..." She smiled softly, "At least you think about other things, too. That means that your whole life isn't only focused on getting stronger only."

"Getting stronger is only my goal." He admitted again, making Tenten surprised, but she didn't show it clearly that he continued, "I have other goals other than that, too."

She smiled again. "That's really good to know." She answered, and sipped her own tea, "Then... what other things do you think about?"

The Hyuuga prodigy silenced, but then he smirked again. "Many things."

"Such as...?"

"Many things." He repeated attentively, looking at her straight into the eyes, and then put on a seductive look - whether he intended this or not, Tenten still didn't really know. "Like my teammates, sometimes."

"Neji..." Tenten was rendered speechless, but then she smiled. "Lee's a great guy, you know."

He couldn't help but smirked at this. "I know."

"Then?"

"Then what?"

"Then what do you usually think about if not Lee-is-so-weak or whatever?" She rolled her eyes when she noticed the offended expression, "Hey, don't blame me! You always think that Lee is stupid, crushing on Sakura like that when she is still definitely in love with that Uchiha."

"He is."

"Can't argue with that." Tenten admitted half-heartedly, "But despite that, he's a very nice guy. He helps me a lot. He's pretty good-looking, too-" She coughed, "-despite those eyebrows, hair and eyes. His nose... Umm, is nice-" Another cough. "-And, uh... He's pretty nice. Like, he is a 'genius of hard work' and his taijutsu skills are very, very decent. He... is kind."

She turned to see if he had any reaction what so ever with her statement, but all that she found was Neji staring blankly at the book, but with his eyes blank like that, she could tell that he wasn't reading.

"Neji?"

What was that in his eyes? Jealousy? He wasn't jealous, of course he wasn't...

"Lee is... okay." He answered at last, though there was no smile or laughter in his voice. "Though I don't mean Lee. Why the hell was I thinking about him, of all people?"

"Then... Gai-sensei?" She guessed. She didn't dare to say "Me?" - She wanted to, but she didn't, because she just knew that she would sound hopeful. More than hopeful - she had always wanted to be closer to him, but just...

The chance never came. But when it did, she just didn't have enough courage to go straightforward and take whatever risks the chance came with. She wasn't brave enough.

"No." He simply shook his head, then pressed his lips together into a thin line before continuing with a husky smile, "Guess who."

_Wrong move, Tenten. You're dead._

"... Me?" She squeaked at last.

"How about yes?" And that was when he took her hand in his and squeezed it gently again. When she blushed, a triumphant smirk appeared on his lips, "Gotcha."

--

**End Notes **

I know this is a little too late, but I'm just back from my vacation, so yeah… Not that good, to the very least. I've been trying my best, but this is all I can for now, so forgive me if it wasn't that entertaining or what. And the OOC-ness. Gaaaaah!! (frowns) Sorry. (smiles sheepishly)

Review and let me know what you think! I'd try to fasten the update intervals…

Thanks!

**Next Chapter**: Chapter Five - Snow


	5. Snow

**Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply ;). **

--

**Chapter Five: Snow**

--

Tenten felt desperate.

No, scratch that - she _was_ desperate. She didn't know what to do, she didn't know how to react, and she definitely wasn't sure if this all husky-acting man in front of her was really her teammate, the Hyuuga prodigy, the top rookie of his respective year and Neji all in one or not. Come on, just look at the details!

First off, her teammate wouldn't invite her to his house without giving a top reasonable, acceptable reason. Her teammate just wasn't like that. Heck, if she didn't know that he was a Hyuuga and that the Hyuugas all lived in one place, she was sure that she wouldn't know where he lived. After all, he was her mysterious, silent teammate.

Secondly, he was the Hyuuga prodigy. Since he was THE prodigy, he wouldn't be hitting (or flirting, whichever you like) on her, intended or not. Simply because, usual prodigies or geniuses were much too dense (mostly, though) and wouldn't realize it if she was a girl, physically and emotionally. Gah, she might look tomboy, but she was a normal girl who likes boys! _Nothing_ could change that.

Next, he was the top rookie of his year. Of their year. By that only, he should have known that there was a snowstorm coming, and if he really was that kind to her, he would take her home to her place, not his place. He was supposed to be the genius, damn it!

And lastly, he was Neji. Nothing, and she meant really nothing, could change the fact that despite all that titles whatsoever, he was Neji as well. And Neji definitely didn't act oh-so-flirty to her. Neji didn't like anyone! That was practically impossible! He was a stoic, cold-hearted, cool, calm, composed, with utterly dead hormones guy! He was Neji, goddamnit, and Neji just didn't act like whoever was in front of her right now!

Tenten forcibly glanced at the man, who was looking at her triumphantly, still holding her hand in his. A little drop of sweat formed near her brow, despite the cold, cold weather and the fact that the snow was falling out there. God, maybe this wasn't Neji at all. For all that she knew, when Neji felt like he was winning, he would simply smirk in arrogance.

_Oh, great_ - as if he could read her thoughts, the man in front of her smirked arrogantly - just in the way only Hyuuga Neji could do.

The weapon mistress frowned. Then he really was Neji? Great, now she really was confused. As she neutralized her face, he released her hand to take another sip of tea. Subconsciously, Tenten watched as his hand moved from her hand to the porcelain cup.

_There goes my source of warmth_, she thought dazedly as she watched.

_Don't you just love it when he touches you?_ A small, inner voice cackled evilly from her insides, forcing her to mentally gag. She nearly choked on her tea when the voice continued, _and don't you just love the way he looks at you? He looks like he wants to glomp you!_

"No!" She practically yelled out loud, "He doesn't glomp people!"

Neji raised an eyebrow at this, "Who doesn't glomp people?" He asked, bringing her the impression that he would just tease her again. His piercing, cloudy eyes were staring at her again - with the look he knew she just couldn't bring herself to resist.

Damn him.

_Yeah right, damn him_. That inner, evil voice started again. Somehow, Tenten could picture a chibi form of herself with bat wings, grinning wickedly and saying all that as it rolled its eyes. This form of hers was holding a javelin and was cackling evilly, with the background of fire and... yeah, fire. _Aww, lookie right there, my dear! He gives you that irresistible look again! He does want to glomp you! Aww, he's so sweet!_

_Don't say that!_ Tenten wanted to scream, _you made Neji sounds perverted! _

_Buy he is a guy after all,_ the Chibi Devil protested strongly_, and guys have hormones. You just gotta deal with 'em,** love**._

"Tenten?" Neji's voice was deep and baritone. It was one of the aspects of why his fan girls loved him. His voice sent them swooning, flying to the seventh heaven, dreaming, drooling, falling, _flying_ - the list continued on and on. "Who doesn't glomp people?"

"Oh... It's..." The weapon mistress panicked for a while. If she didn't come up with an intelligent answer of some sort within seconds, there was an eighty percent chance of her getting embarrassed once more. And with the number of times she had been humiliated today, she wasn't sure whether she wanted that or not. _Think of a name! Think of a name!_ "It's Sasuke!"

**_LOL_**, the Chibi Devil cackled again.

"Sasuke?" Neji asked, his eyebrows knitted together. Tenten could almost see what he was thinking: _Where does Sasuke come in all of this?_

"... Yes, Sasuke." She nodded quietly, looking straight into his eyes. He had lost that 'look', it was pretty much safe looking at him straight like this. Great, now she needed to think about Sasuke. _Great, just great._

"Why Sasuke?" The Hyuuga asked, clearly not liking the sudden topic change. He didn't like Sasuke, he didn't like him at all.

The Uchiha was more like a rival then of a friend to him, though sometimes when it was a 'Boys Night's Out', he could and would and should stand him. The same went for Sasuke: he also didn't like Neji for the same reasons, but on special occasions, he could and would and should stand him.

"Well, I don't know..." The weapon mistress said, sipping her tea to calm herself down, "Maybe because he really doesn't glomp people?"

"He did_ that_ to Sakura just some days ago..."

"Oh..." She replied, before then realizing what he had really just said, "Oh... _Oh_!"

She definitely didn't need to know that - but how could Sakura? She didn't tell her one bit about it! And they were supposed to be _friends_! She brought the cup to her lips again and shushed away the bad thoughts.

It was best for her not to think about it right now - she needed to think for herself as well. How, and she meant _how,_ was she going to get out of this situation right now? She couldn't sleep with Neji, of course she couldn't and wouldn't - heck, he was a boy, and she was a girl. That was just wrong. _So wrong_ - especially when the boy was Neji and the girl was her.

But before she could do whatever she wanted to do, she needed to ask him some questions first.

"So..." She coughed a little, "If you're not going for anyone right now, then tell me: what type of girls _would_ you go for?" Ah, there. A little change in the words and the question was different already. _Touché._

Neji arched his eyebrows, "Why do you ask?"

"Just because." Tenten rolled her eyes, "Just because." She repeated, and sent him a smile, "Well, I'm just asking. So, what's your answer? Make it quick and make it straightforward, please."

She shouldn't have said that. Of all people she knew, Neji was the most straightforward one of all.

He gave her a smirk. "Oh, I'd go for anybody - as long as I feel comfortable with them." He said, "And as long as they're not strangers."

Tenten could only smile dryly to his answer. "Okay, then." She said pleasantly, examining him. There was a slight hint of pink on his cheeks, causing her to mentally smile.

Though he did give her a remarkable, reasonable answer, it was no doubt that Hyuuga Neji wasn't used to talking like this with anybody. His shinobi skills might be excellent, but his social skills were to be questioned.

_Poor, poor boy._

"... Anyway..." He stood up, coughing in embarrassment as she looked up to him. "I'll take you to Hinata-sama's room."

"Eh?" She looked surprised, "But I thought you were told to stay wherever you are by... by one of your elders. Fuyuki said so. You... You can't just disobey orders like that!"

A smirk - a teasing one, a mocking one: she didn't really know which, but it was a smirk alright - appeared on his lips before it subsided as quickly as it came, "Who says I can't?" He asked her back, his hand reaching for her as he brought her up as well. "It's only a rule."

Tenten couldn't help but stared at him. She was puzzled - was this really Hyuuga Neji? Was this really the way he acted? Or was it her who never really paid any attention? "Neji..." She whispered at him, "I don't know whether this is all right or not..."

"Hmm?" The Hyuuga arched his eyebrows again, but then he thought of something and he smirked again. He pulled her close until their faces were only inches apart and stared into her eyes, "Oh, don't tell me you want to stay here - in my room - for the night?"

The weapon mistress immediately stepped back, releasing herself from his reach as she blushed sweetly, "No, of course not, you pervert!" She practically yelled in embarrassment at him as he sent her another alluring smirk. "I was just thinking about you, you dumb ass! I don't want you to get punished or whatsoever, okay?"

He paused a while, but then pressed his lips together, forming a very, very thin appreciative smile. "Thank you." He said huskily, though she wasn't sure whether he intended it or not. With that, he held up his hand to her like a gentleman, smirking. "Shall we, then?" His snow-colored eyes were gazing intensely into hers, forcing her to drown if any.

"Sure." She cooed gently, placing her hand on top of his.

--

And unfortunately, Hinata just happened not to be there. Her room was empty and lifeless - her futon rolled up nicely, her blankets untouched - she was just not there.

Tenten could almost hear herself groaning. She wanted to scream - why, why must now, of all times? Why now? Why should Hinata be away when she needed her most? Where was everybody when she needed them?

"... Okay." She said to Neji, trying to be cheerful. _Geez_. "So Hinata is not here." She arched her eyebrows when she realized that he wasn't really listening to her. His eyebrows were knitted together in a frowning manner, and right there, she knew he was worried about the little Hyuuga heiress. Funny how years of understanding could change his opinion about her.

"Neji?" She waved her hand in front of his face, "Neji, don't worry too much. She's safe and sound, I'm sure... Last time I've heard from her, she is going on a date with Naruto today..."

"Hush." The Hyuuga said, glancing at the empty room, his eyebrows still knitted - just as if he was thinking about something else, "I wasn't thinking about Hinata-sama."

"Oh?" Tenten looked surprised, "But if you do, she really is on a date with Naruto, I think - so if they are caught up in a snowstorm or something, they must be at the Ichiraku... or at some ramen restaurant Naruto wants to try..."

"No, really." He shook his head, before gazing back at the empty room and then sighed, "Okay, Tenten. You can sleep in Hanabi-sama's room. I believe she won't be angry. Let me show you there."

Without waiting for her answer, he took her hand in his and half-dragged her across the corridor. It was almost like he wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible... She shrugged the thought out of her head.

It was a bit painful, and she was pretty sure if she was hurt it'd show on her face. Neji was a good reader - he'd know and he'd ask why, and she didn't know why, but she didn't need anymore questions tonight.

At least, not from him.

Hanabi was almost asleep when Neji knocked on her door that night, and she wasn't happy or was she mad.

"Geez, Neji-niisan." The younger Hyuuga said, rubbing her sleepy eyes, "First it's that girl Fuyuki, now it's you. Why am I so popular on a day like this? Now what is i-?" She stopped right dead on her track when she looked up and met eyes with the weapon mistress instead of the pale eyes of her cousin. She gasped and stepped back one step. "Hell!" She yelled unconsciously, a product of being shocked.

Tenten glanced at Neji and smiled, seeing what he was thinking right there:_ language, Hanabi-sama_, but was restraining himself from saying that. That would be called as disrespect.

"Hanabi-sama." Instead, the Hyuuga prodigy gave a polite nod, "I want to ask of you a favor, if I may."

"Sure..." The female Hyuuga looked like she almost fell asleep once more. She was holding the doorsill to keep herself standing - she looked so sleepy that Tenten couldn't help but wonder whether she had a goodnight sleep yesterday or not. "What is it, Neji-niisan? You want her to stay with me tonight?" She asked, right to the point. Hanabi was a clever girl.

"Yes." Neji looked completely relieved that he didn't have to spit out the favor himself - good gracious that his cousin was clever enough to know that already. Or was it just luck? Heck, whatever it was, he felt relieved. "If she may."

Hanabi blinked her eyes and glanced at Tenten, then yawned, "Okay." After that, she threw herself to the bed and slept, ignoring both Neji and Tenten.

The weapon mistress looked at the futon lied on the floor, "Well, I guess I can sleep there, then..." She said to him, giving him a very small smile. "And before you go, Neji..."

"Hmm?"

"Thank you." Tenten smiled forcibly. She couldn't really understand why - Neji was just helping her to get out of his room, to sleep somewhere else so that they wouldn't sleep together in the same room, so that nothing will happen at all - he was just trying to be a gentleman, but here she was, feeling all lost, confused, and a bit regretful. Did she really want to sleep in the same room with him? No, of course not. It was forbidden, it was _wrong_. But still... "And sorry. I know I'm a bother to your late nights' routin-"

"You're not." He interjected. Being a genius, he suddenly knew what was happening, and why she was apologizing. It was not like her to apologize for something she never really did, but maybe on special occasions, she was just a normal girl after all. "It's just that..." He stopped mid sentence.

"Just what?" She asked attentively. "Don't worry. If you want to be honest, it's okay. You know it's not the first time I've been bothering you."

She didn't know that she was wrong. "Tenten." He took a deep breath and sent her a very, very thin smile before he pressed his covered forehead to hers. "You're not a bother, so don't think about it."

The weapon mistress gaped for a while, surprised of their closeness, but then she smiled. "Thank you."

"Hn." Neji hummed. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, too." She managed as she watched him walk away to his own room. Her next two words only lingered on her tongue.

_Sweet dreams, Neji. Sleep tight. _

With that, she turned back to Hanabi's room and closed the door behind her silently, not wanting to wake up the girl. Just to her surprise, as she turned her back to the door, she realized that the young Hyuuga was sitting on the bed, looking not at all sleepy.

"E-eh..." Tenten gulped inwardly, "Thank you..."

Hanabi grinned, "Don't be so awkward." She said, "I am not angry or mad or whatever. I think it's cute."

"Huh?" _What's cute?_ "What?"

The younger girl smiled knowingly and tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear before she put her chin on her palm and gazed at Tenten knowingly again. "It's pretty obvious, but Neji-niisan is pretty dense, isn't he?" She asked, sighing as she slumped her back to the bed. "Guys are unbelievably dense. I haven't met one who isn't."

This time, Tenten really didn't know what she was talking about. Sure, Neji was dense, but hey... What did it have to do with her? Completely, utterly _nothing_. She wasn't even 'emotionally attached' to that Hyuuga prodigy. They were only teammates. Very, very close teammates. "Hanabi-san, I'm not sure I get what you are talking about..."

Hanabi blew her bangs and grinned, "I figure you don't." She said, feeling a little triumphant. It was not often when she got the chance to match make somebody. She did have her chance with her sister's lifelong crush, but the whiskery guy didn't come to the mansion that often. So maybe Neji-niisan and this teammate of his was her next victim? Nice. "I was saying," She began, another smirk appearing on her lips, "That Neji-niisan is dense. He's completely oblivious that you have feelings for him, now isn't he?"

Tenten knitted her eyebrows together, "Hanabi-san, you must have got the wrong girl." She said, sitting down on the futon, "I don't have any feelings for Neji. He's just a teammate."

"Well, whatever." The younger Hyuuga heiress rolled her eyes, "I don't really care whether he's your teammate, he's your boyfriend, or he's just some strangers, but I am going to assure you that if you don't have some feelings for him, you'll regret it."

"Why?" The weapon mistress couldn't stop herself from asking as she rolled herself in the blankets on the futon. It was the only natural thing to do at that time.

"Because," Hanabi replied, rolling to her stomach as she enveloped herself in her blanket. "He has feelings for you. And if you don't return it, I'm not really sure that you'll come out alive or not. I can't really imagine Neji-niisan in love, but when he does, I do think that he's pretty scary."

"He doesn't." Her room companion shook her head, "He thinks I am a bother even if he denies it."

"Oh, he doesn't think that way." Hanabi grinned mischievously. Gee, the relationship between her cousin and his teammate was pretty slow - they needed some push to get it started, and Hanabi was sure that she knew how to 'push' the girl. Not the boy, since he was a little too dense from the start. "Just because he doesn't want you in his room, it doesn't mean that you are a negative hindrance to him. It's quite the contrary."

_Gee_. Tenten smiled to herself, feeling like an idiot. What was she doing here? Was she really being lectured by someone years younger than her about love? Okay, so she knew she wasn't exactly fast on that department, and it might be so that she needed help, but she never imagine herself being helped by someone years younger than her. Especially just not Neji's cousin. The idea was so ridiculous that she might have been dead if she wasn't really right here, really being lectured by Hanabi, really being helped.

"Oh." So there she responded. "Okay."

Hanabi chuckled. This pair really needed her help - the two were too oblivious to be true. She slumped herself on the bed, cuddling her blankets to keep herself warm, "It's pretty obvious." She repeated pleasantly, though her white eyes shone dangerously, mischievously. She was obviously up to something.

"What's pretty obvious?" Tenten decided to ask, just to fill in for the silence. She shivered a bit, as she glanced closely at the Hyuuga, feeling more than just an idiot.

"He doesn't want to sleep with you..." Hanabi took a deep breath and smirked triumphantly, "... because he can't control himself."

The weapon mistress couldn't help but laugh at this. "Yeah, sure." She rolled her eyes sarcastically, "I am sorry, Hanabi-san, but for that I know, your cousin has a lot of self-control. Even more than mine times three. He's so damn controlled, I can guarantee you that. And we've been together in a team for like... seven years already, and until now I haven't seen him losing himself once. If I do, it'll be a blast."

"I'm sure." The smaller sister said, smiling, "However, Tenten-san... Is that your name?"

"Yes."

"If he does lose control one day later, promise me you'll tell me all about it." Hanabi laughed whole-heartedly, an evil look forming in her white, formerly innocent eyes, "My cousin's humiliation is _my bliss, my pleasure_. There will be nothing more entertaining than that."

At this, Tenten couldn't help but smirked. "I agree." She grinned mischievously, "Though I'm not really sure whether he really will lose control of not. After all, he's Neji."

"But apart from all that, he's still a normal guy, Tenten-san." Hanabi said, in her eyes a mysterious gleam Tenten didn't recognize partially because Neji and Hinata (the only Hyuugas she knew apart from Hanabi) didn't share the same gleam, partially also because Hanabi's eyes were whiter than Neji's or Hinata's that they almost looked blank. Almost being the keyword. "He has hormones."

"_Dead_ ones." The weapon mistress couldn't help but interjected, though softly.

"Nope." Hanabi shook her head prettily, "Ones that work s_ooo_ well. Seriously, believe me."

"Ah." Tenten responded, not really knowing how else to reply to that. Hanabi was such a weird kid. She was so different than Hinata - when her sister was shy, she was outspoken; when her sister was easily embarrassed, she easily humiliated other people. They were practically two sides of the same coin.

_Ironic_.

With that, she slumped herself to bed and closed her eyes.

--

**End Notes **

And that was very, very slow paced. Slow boiled. Too many emotions? I don't really know, but one thing for sure I know I babbled when I wrote chapter five (_giggles_). So anyway, review and keep the author happy! _Smiles_.

Thank you! I'm not giving up on this baby!! xD. And pretty much, I'm really sorry for the late updates. I'm just... busy. And lazy, you know xD. Anyways, thank you. Do you have any requests for the next chapter? You know, to inspire me. I'm not giving any guarantee that your request will be fulfilled, but anyways, thank you again.

**Next Chapter**: Chapter Six - Wind


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